Satellite photos showed that China has placed its combat equipment in the form of antiaircraft missiles in their man-made islands in the South China Sea.

Taiwan's Defense Ministry confirmed the news after a report derived from satellite imagery on Woody Island, part of the Paracel archipelago.

"The Ministry of Defence already knew the missile defense system was placed by China on Yongxing Island," said ministry spokesman told AFP news agency.

The Daily Mail newspaper reported on Wednesday (17/2), US defense officials also confirmed that China has put heavy weapons allegedly arrived on the island in the past week.

China has already mastered the Paracel islands also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan since the mid-1970s and the end of the Vietnam War.

In recent months tensions in the region increased after China reclaiming the island. South China Sea region is known as one third of the world's oil trade route.

Washington assess the Chinese move was endangering the region and the United States has sent its combat ships to the area. Australia had some reconnaissance aircraft flew to the area to oversee the activities of China on an artificial island.